Eastern Links: Heat, Henry Bibby, Pistons, Nets
As we look forward to the Labor Day weekend, let's round up a few end-of-week items out of the Eastern Conference….
- Caron Butler and Lamar Odom are no longer options for the Heat, but neither player was ever a real possibility, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Winderman adds that "there will be other Butler and Odom types that could shake free" over the course of the year for the Heat.
- Former Grizzlies assistant Henry Bibby will join Maurice Cheeks' coaching staff with the Pistons, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- Making small adjustments to teams that already have a core in place is Joe Dumars' strength, so the Pistons GM should be well-positioned to handle the next stage of the team's development, writes Dan Feldman of PistonPowered (link via Detroit Free Press).
- Former Queens prep star Kyle Hunt will work out for the Nets in September, reports Joshua Newman of SNY.tv.
- Over at HoopsWorld, Lang Greene's list of potential training-camp logjams includes positional battles for the Celtics, Cavs, Bucks, and Knicks, among other teams.
Poll: Most Improved Player In The Atlantic?
The Atlantic Division saw plenty of player movement during this offseason, with teams either adding significant rotation players or dealing them away to create bigger roles for their younger ones. Let's take a look at a few players who could continue to elevate their standing next season:
After sitting out the 2011/12 season to recover from open heart surgery, Jeff Green returned to the Celtics last year as a productive contributor and arguably the team's most important reserve, appearing in 81 games (17 starts) and averaging 12.8 PPG and 3.9 RPG in 27.8 MPG while shooting a career best 46.7% from the field and 38.5% from three. Over the final three months of the season, the former Georgetown Hoya put on a tremendous display of efficient shooting, posting scoring averages of 15.3/17.6/17.1 and never averaging less than 48.8% overall and 41.4% from long distance per month. Green could very well be relied on in a primary scoring role next season following the departures of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry – three of Boston's top five scorers last year.
One of the biggest question marks for the Knicks heading into last season was how Iman Shumpert would fare after returning from an ACL injury suffered during the 2011/12 playoffs. After sitting out the first 37 games, the sophomore swingman returned in mid-January, averaging 6.8 PPG and 1.0 SPG in 22.1 MPG the rest of the way. While those numbers may not stand out very much, Shumpert proved to be an intriguing young player within a playoff atmosphere, going for 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting in a closeout win against the Celtics and 6-for-10 (with an uncanny 5-for-6 performance from long distance) in a comeback attempt that fell short against the Pacers in Game 6 of the Conference semi-finals. Although his shooting numbers appeared to have wildly fluctuated at times during last season (26.4% from the field/ 27.2% from three in February followed by 47.9% from the field/49.9% from three in March), Shumpert has also garnered recognition as a strong defensive player, and there is some belief that his development is strongly tied to how far the Knicks can go this year.
With last year's team leading scorer Jrue Holiday now donning a Pelicans uniform and Jason Richardson still rehabbing from knee surgery, Evan Turner will most likely stand as the 76ers' most experienced guard in their backcourt to start the season. The fourth-year player was actually given an enormous amount of minutes last year and put up some of the best numbers of his career thus far – 13.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 36.5% from long range in 35.6 MPG. A few things to keep an eye out for in terms of Turner's offensive development are how much he can increase his scoring average by, how well he can improve from last season's 41.8% overall shooting average, and if he can get to the free throw line at a higher rate.
Another name to keep an eye out for in Philadelphia is Thaddeus Young, who finished the year as the team's second-leading scorer. The 6'8 forward posted 14.8 PPG on an efficient 53.1% from the field along with 7.5 RPG in 34.6 MPG. While 57.4% from the charity stripe leaves a lot left to be desired – especially considering he shot 77.1% in 2011/12 – Young showed a tremendous amount of promise overall as a scorer in March, going for 16.7 PPG on a 58.0% clip.
A very intriguing name to follow north of the border is second-year center Jonas Valanciunas, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2013 Las Vegas Summer league. As a rookie, the 6'11 center delivered 8.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.3 BPG for the Raptors last season. In what could reasonably have been a preview of what to continue to expect, Valanciunas averaged 11.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 BPG, and 27.1 MPG in March, followed by 14.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.4 BPG, and 31.6 MPG in April. What's even more interesting are his field goal percentages and accuracy from the line over those final two months of the year (62.0%/82.0% and 55.8%/85.2% respectively). With that in mind, the 21-year-old big man figures to have the keys to the starting center position in Toronto.
Of the aforementioned players in the Atlantic Division, who stands to take their game to another level in 2013/14?
Most Improved Player In The Atlantic?
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Jonas Valanciunas 41% (435)
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Jeff Green 30% (324)
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Iman Shumpert 18% (198)
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Evan Turner 5% (56)
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Thaddeus Young 4% (45)
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Other 1% (14)
Total votes: 1,072
Kyler’s Latest: Pelicans, Knicks, Heat
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld continues to examine potential trade situations for various NBA teams, today focusing on the Pelicans, Knicks, and Heat. Let's check out Kyler's NBA AM piece and round up a few of the highlights….
- The Pelicans' lack of a "bruising inside player" could be cause for concern, according to Kyler, who says that the team may look into acquiring a true center if Anthony Davis struggles in his minutes at the five.
- J.R. Smith's health will be one of the big questions for the Knicks this season, as the reigning Sixth Man of the Year recovers from knee surgery. If he's unable to return to 100% health, or has any setbacks, New York could target a replacement via trade, though the club likely wouldn't get aggressive until close to the deadline.
- Those close to the situation in Miami say the Heat should be more wary of the summer of 2015 than 2014, according to Kyler. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh each essentially have player options in each of the next two offseasons, so any or all of the Big Three could opt out in either '14 or '15.
- Kyler views Bosh and Wade as good bets to play out their current contracts, since neither player is likely to receive a raise in free agency. LeBron could obviously land a bigger long-term deal if he opts out, but he's unlikely to leave Miami while Wade and Bosh are still healthy and productive, says Kyler.
- The Heat have several expiring contracts that could be used to faciliate deals at the 2014 trade deadline, if necessary, and Kyler notes that the team essentially has zero guaranteed money committed for 2014/15, meaning Miami could be in position to add even more talent. I'm not sure how realistic that is though — if we assume Bosh, Wade, Udonis Haslem, and Joel Anthony all opt in, and the Heat pick up Norris Cole's option, that takes team salary for '14/15 up over $51MM, and that's not even counting LeBron.
International Notes: Johnson, Williams, Kennedy
As we noted earlier this morning, one of the more intriguing big men still available in free agency came off the board today, when Ivan Johnson signed with China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Today's round of international updates includes more tidbits on Johnson's decision, along with notes on a couple other former NBA players. Let's dive in….
- Johnson's one-year deal in China doesn't include an opt-out, but the CBA season ends before the NBA season does, so the ex-Hawk is hoping to catch on with an NBA team after his run with the Golden Bulls ends, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- The Bulls, Knicks, Clippers, and Pacers all had some interest in Johnson, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. However, agent Jeremiah Haylett tells Zwerling that Zhejiang's offer was "so lucrative" that it persuaded his client to opt for China (Twitter links).
- Enea Trapani of Sportando, citing Meidan Katsnelson, reports that Shelden Williams has turned down offers from Euroleague teams in search of a more lucrative deal. Williams, who played in France last season, may end up in China, according to Trapani.
- Sportando also passes along a Gazzetta di Reggio report suggesting that Italian team Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia is targeting D.J. Kennedy, and keeping an eye on Cory Higgins and Lazar Hayward as possible alternatives. All three players have at least a little NBA experience, and may be more inclined to seek out NBA offers if those are available.
Pacers, Pelicans, Sixers Eyeing Earl Barron
Free agent big man Earl Barron is drawing interest from a handful of potential suitors, and looks like a good bet to land at least a training-camp invite from an NBA team, as Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports. According to Zwerling (via Twitter), the Pacers, Pelicans, and Sixers are among the teams interested in Barron.
Zwerling reported last night (via Twitter) that the Knicks remain Barron's preferred destination, and that his reps are hoping to work something out with the team after Labor Day. We had heard earlier this week that the Knicks are still considering Barron, along with a few other bigs.
Indiana, New Orleans, and Philadelphia all make sense as potential landing spots for the 32-year-old, who finished last season with the Knicks. The Pacers have a solid frontcourt, but Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi are the only real centers on the roster, so another addition may be necessary. The Pelicans have been seeking depth in the middle as well, having worked out Hamed Haddadi recently, and the Sixers still need to add more players and salary to reach the league's required minimums.
Barron, who has appeared in parts of seven NBA seasons, spent time with the Wizards last year before joining the Knicks, averaging 3.3 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 12 overall contests.
New York Notes: Dolan, Prokhorov, Free Agents
The Knicks didn't exactly break the bank in free agency this summer, as J.R. Smith's new $17.947MM contract represents more than half of the team's approximately $32MM in free agent spending. Still, that total is enough to qualify as the most money that any Atlantic Division club dished out, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined today. The crosstown Nets spent only about $12.6MM on free agents, but they absorbed plenty of salary in the blockbuster Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade. Here's more on the Big Apple's teams:
- The Knicks and Nets are poised to co-host All-Star Weekend in 2015 and possibly once more a few years later. Yet tension between Knicks owner James Dolan and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov was such that David Stern arranged a meeting early last season to clear the air, reports Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
- A source told Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that the Knicks may sign someone without NBA experience to be the team's 15th man, but Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal thinks they'll choose a player with a track record instead.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com rounds up a couple of Knicks items, noting that Beno Udrih and Andrea Bargnani are skipping national team play this summer, and pointing to the oft-overlooked positive impact Tracy McGrady had on the franchise.
Knicks Still Considering Haddadi, Johnson, Barron
The Knicks have been looking for a big man the past few weeks, but it's been 10 days since we've heard any news about who they might be targeting. Hamed Haddadi, Ivan Johnson and Earl Barron have all drawn mention at some point, and according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, all three remain in the mix.
Haddadi's 7'2" frame and his ability in the paint intrigue Knicks brass, a source tells Zwerling, adding that the five-year NBA veteran is open to a minimum-salary deal. The Knicks have had their eyes on him for a while this summer, but he wasn't able to visit New York until mid-August because he was busy playing for his native Iran in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and winning the tournament's MVP award. Haddadi's agent, Marc Cornstein, also reps Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih, two players the Knicks signed this summer, as Zwerling points out.
The Knicks are still having talks with Barron and Johnson, who last week reportedly set a deadline for NBA teams to make an amenable offer, lest he sign with an overseas club. That deadline is now a week away, but the Knicks are in no hurry, Zwerling hears. It's possible that the team won't add any more guaranteed contracts, a source tells Zwerling. If that's the case, they may wind up going with unproven talent instead of someone who's played in the NBA before, as Haddadi, Johnson and Barron have.
Zwerling doesn't mention the last big man to be linked to the team, Cole Aldrich, so it's not clear whether the former 11th overall pick is still on the team's radar.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Wroten, Rondo, Machado
Many teams around the NBA have completed most or all of their roster moves for the offseason, but the Sixers figure to remain active over the next few weeks. Philadelphia made a small deal yesterday, picking up 2012 first-rounder Tony Wroten from the Grizzlies for virtually nothing, allowing the team to roll the dice on a 20-year-old with some upside and little risk. As I wrote earlier this month, the Sixers would need to add some salary to their books to meet the minimum payroll threshold, but there's also no real penalty if the club doesn't reach that floor.
Here's more on the Wroten deal and a few other items from around the Atlantic:
- In the wake of the Sixers' deal with Memphis, Sean O'Connor of Liberty Ballers examines what Wroten brings to Philadelphia, concluding that if Sam Hinkie keeps making moves with little downside, they'll eventually pay off in a big way.
- Focusing on a few teams who could be active on the trade market, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld writes about the Sixers and Celtics in today's NBA AM piece, noting that the C's still seem committed to building around Rajon Rondo, rather than moving him.
- Scott Machado tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that a spot on the Knicks' training camp roster was an option for him until the team signed Beno Udrih (Twitter link). Machado has alternatives though, and may spend a year overseas, since he has received four offers from international teams, according to Zwerling.
New York Notes: All-Star Game, Carmelo, Nets
- New York may be hosting two All-Star games between 2015 and 2018,
writes Fred Kerber
of the New York Post. Multiple sources have maintained that the 2015
All-Star game will be played at Madison Square Garden, while the Friday night
and Saturday events will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Although nothing has been finalized, Kerber says the league, along with the Knicks and Nets, are in negotiations about a proposal involving
a reversal of roles in 2017 or 2018, where Barclays takes on Sunday's main
event and MSG hosts the other festivities. - Carmelo Anthony offers his
thoughts on the balance of power shifting toward the Eastern Conference
and gives some insight on his offseason workouts (Jared
Zwerling of ESPN New York). - Ben Couch of BrooklynNets.com provides an infographic of the Nets' depth at power forward, including Kevin Garnett, Reggie Evans, and Mirza Teletovic.
Odds & Ends: Paul, NBPA, Butler
In discussing Chris Paul's election as the new NBPA president, ESPN's Brian Windhorst writes that neither Paul nor former union vice president Jerry Stackhouse would commit to a timetable nor discuss whether a search firm was in place to find a replacement for ex-NBPA executive director Billy Hunter. Stackhouse, who will remain active with the union in an advisory role, said they aren't in a rush but have already identified a number of candidates. Windhorst also says the union would ideally want a new executive director in place by February 1st, when Adam Silver is set to begin his job as the new commissioner. Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous news and notes, along with more from the above piece:
- Some comments from Paul: "I've been thinking about (running) for a while on and off…I've had a lot of dialogue about it with committee members. I wouldn't have taken on the role if I was going to do it alone."
- There are a few specific issues that were tabled during the 2011 CBA which still need to be resolved, especially blood testing for performance enhancing drugs (including human growth hormone) and the current age limit to declare for the NBA draft.
- Lakers guard Steve Blake and Bobcats forward Anthony Tolliver were added as new members to the executive committee, joining Paul, Roger Mason Jr., Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, James Jones, Matt Bonner, and Willie Green.
- The union has turned to Deloitte Financial Advisory Services to examine its structure and will make necessary changes, such as adding a human resources and information technology department (J.A. Adande of ESPN.com).
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today notes that the NBPA has hired Reilly Partners to help with restructuring and forming a job description for the executive director position, and that two names have surfaced as potential candidates for the opening: former NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson and former NBA and Madison Square Garden executive Steven Mills.
- Suns forward Caron Butler says he's looking forward to being a mentor to teammate Michael Beasley, gives his thoughts on the Clippers, and talks about how he's approaching the upcoming season in Phoenix. Butler adds that no one from the Clippers front office has spoken to him since he was notified by his agent about being traded, but insists there's no ill will: “I don’t leave with bitterness or anything, but a phone call would have helped the situation…But it’s cool, it’s no hard feelings because that’s the nature of the business" (NBA.com's Jeff Caplan).
- Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy looks at a list of 11 of the top 13 players drafted this past June and discusses their chances at winning Rookie of the Year.
- In the same piece, Kennedy relays a clip from Gary Payton's interview on FOX Sports, in which the Hall of Fame point guard reveals that he may have had something to do with Allen Iverson's "practice" rant on the 76ers several years ago: "(Iverson) asked me…'How do you keep your body is so good of a shape, and don’t get hurt, and stay always on the court?’ And I just told him for real, my coach George Karl didn’t let me practice. So that was it. I said, ‘You have to stop practicing." While watching the actual rant, Payton recalled thinking: ‘Don’t say it like this! Don’t do it like that, Allen…When he said it, I said, ‘No, that was not our conversation.’”